Laminated panels



June 3, 1969 s. KUCHECK 3,447,803

LAMINATED PANELS Filed Sept. 23, 1964' INVENTOR. SAM KUC'HECK United States Patent 3,447,803 LAMINATED PANELS Sam Kucheck, 1311 Chicago Ave., Evanston, Ill. 60201 Filed Sept. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 398,579 Int. Cl. A63d 15/00 US. Cl. 273-6 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A laminated structural panel for use as doors, walls and billiard tables. Said panel comprises a flat top sheet and a flat bottom sheet. The area between said panels includes a plurality of ring-like members providing voids between the spaced sheets and an adhesive material is provided between the ring-like members.

This invention relates to improvements in structural bodies and to the method for making same.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved structural body for use as panels, doors, walls, and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a structural body which may be used as a billiard table top and incorporated in billiard tables, which includes the pocket and non-pocket type.

Another object of this invention is to provide a billiard table top which is light in weight, sturdy in construction, and which has the characteristic of remaining flat throughout on its playing surface, even when subjected to great use.

In regulation billiard tables it is imperative that the top surface be maintained in a fiat condition and any deviation therefrom is highly objectionable. To accomplish this purpose conventional pocket billiard tables have been made with a slate material of approximately 1%" thickness, which adds considerably to the weight of the finished product. The overall weight of the conventional slate pocket billiard table top weighs approximately 75 pounds and is made in three equal sections so that the sections may be carried and installed by two men. This creates considerable problems. To get three sections of 1%" thick slate to lie flat in the same plane in relation to each other, by employing a common leveling device and by use of shims between the slate and the table base, is very difiicult and requires considerable time and many adjustments. In addition, the adjoining edges must be filled with plaster of Paris and then sanded fiat. The result most of the time is a non-fiat playing surface, which results in a rolling ball being unable to maintain a straight or true roll.

With the present invention I am able to provide a billiard table bed which may be made as an integral unit in one section to cover the overall dimensions of the billiard table and which would weigh approximately 285 pounds. Also, it would not warp and would remain in a flat condition even when subjected to great use.

From the foregoing it can be readily appreciated that the present invention has great utility and overcomes the objections inherent in present day commercial billiard tables.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of the structural body with a section broken away.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on lines 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional of FIG. 1, and

view taken on lines 44 FIG. 5 shows a modification.

The invention will be described with particular reference to its use as a pocket billiard table top, although it will be understood that it has other uses.

The pocket billiard table top made in accordance with this invention comprises a pair of sheets at aluminum, designated by the numerals 10' and 12, spaced from each other and joined together by means of a plurality of ringlike members or tubular members, generally designated by the numeral 14. The spaced sheets of aluminum are preferably of 2024-T3 stretcher leveled stock, having a .190 inch thickness. If for a regulation pocket billiard size table, the sheet should measure 56 inches by 106 inches. If for a regulation non-pocket type the size is larger, measuring approximately 60 by inches. This aluminum sheet is used in aircraft and has a high tensile strength and a flatness tolerance not exceeding .015 inch anywhere on its surface. In the process or method of constructing the billiard table top the aluminum sheet 12 is placed on a fiat work surface or support. It is recommended that the support structure for such purpose be a cast aluminum tooling plate measuring 5 feet by 10 feet, having a two inch thickness. The tooling plate support should rest on a surface which will maintain it in a level horizontal position.

A border is next provided along the outer perimeter of aluminum sheet 12 by the use of a one inch masking tape secured along the four edges of the aluminum sheet. This continuous border acts as a retainer for the epoxy cement with which the sheet will be covered, as will be described, and allows the epoxy cement toharden without running off the aluminum sheet.

The epoxy cement to be used may be formed of a pure epoxy resin to which is added a liquid catalyst or curing agent, such as M.E.K. peroxide, and this adhesive, which is designated by the numeral .16, is poured or applied to the aluminum sheet 12 so that the cement retains a thickness of approximately inch. On this surface the ringlike members 14 are placed.

The ring-like members 14 are formed of the same type of aluminum as are sheets 10 and 12, but of tubular stock drawn round tubing, straight length, having a 4 inch outside diameter with a wall thickness of approximately /8 inch. The height or length of the ring-like members is approximately /1 inch. The top and bottom edges of the ring-like members are fiat, within .001 inch.

The ring-like members 14 are positioned so that the walls of the adjacent rings are in contact with each other, as best shown in the drawings. The ring-like members 14 are in staggered relationship, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, and are centered with respect to the sheet 12 so that there is an equal uncovered border along the longitudinal and transverse edges of the sheet. Pressure is then uniformly applied on the ring-like members 14 so that the bottom surface of the ring-like members touch and engage the aluminum sheet 12, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. There remains, however, a inch layer of epoxy cement within the borders of the ring-like members 14 and in the open areas between the ring-like members.

The epoxy cement is allowed to dry or cold cure for approximately 24 hours. After it has dried or cold cured for this period the spaced open areas between the ringlike members, designated by the numeral 18, and shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, are filled with the epoxy cement, designated by the numeral 16a. In the drawings, the spaced open areas 18 wherever illustrated are shown filled with the epoxy cement 16a. It will be understood that in the initial instance the open areas 18 are unfilled and are voids except for the /8 inch layer 16 which was originally poured or applied on the sheet, and illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 4. This epoxy cement should fill the open areas 18 up to the level of the top edges of the ring-like members 14, but the epoxy cement should not engage or cover the top edge of the ring-like members. It should also be understood that the inner circumference of the individual ring-like members remain as voids and are not filled with any epoxy material, except for the layer 16 of epoxy material which was initially applied to aluminum sheet 12. The epoxy material 16a in the open areas 18 is allowed to cure or dry for 24 hours. After the curing or drying is completed the masking tape on the border edges of the aluminum sheet 12 is removed.

Aluminum sheet 10 is of the same size and shape as sheet 12 and aluminum sheet 10 is placed on a tooling plate similar to that previously described and a masking tape is also positioned around the borders for the same purpose. A inch layer of epoxy cement 16b is applied to the surface of sheet 10. Sheet 12 and the ring-like members 14 applied and adhering thereto as an integral unit is then inverted and placed on top of sheet 10, easing it down slowly so that the wet epoxy cement on sheet 10 will find its own level. After both sheets 10 and 12 are squared up the epoxy cement on sheet 10 is allowed to set to cold cure or dry for approximately 24 hours. Suitable corner and side pocket cutouts, not shown, are made in the integrated unit.

Either sheet 10 or 12 may be used as the top surface, since both have the same finish and tolerance. For example, if sheet 10 is to form the top surface it is then covered with a. regulation billiard cloth. This billiard table bed or top thus formed may then be supported in the conventional supporting stand or base used in billiard tables. This billiard table bed resists corrosion, weighs approximately 275 pounds, is an integral construction in one-piece, does not warp, and when supported only around its outer perimeter will have a maximum deflection at its center of .005 inch. Weather condition have no noticeable affect on this structure.

The epoxy cement or glue of the kind herein described has a tensile strength or bonding power of 3,000 pounds per square inch. Aside from bonding the ring-like members to the sheets, each ring-like member is in contact engagement at six points with the surrounding rings. The contacting surfaces of ring to ring are minimal, leaving approximately 8 square inches of unengaged ring surface per ring which is enclosed and engaged by the bonding epoxy cement material 16a. This is an important factor in providing the extreme rigidity. The cured or set epoxy cement is more stable or rigid than an equal amount by volume of aluminum, thereby giving this lamination a more rigid quality than if it were welded or if a casting of the same weight were used without the epoxy.

FIG. shows a modified construction in which the ring-like members are formed of a casting, designated by the numeral 20, in which the ring-like'members 22 form a honeycomb joined to each other. However, they are of the same dimensions and follow the same pattern as previously described, except that they may be integrally cast. If cast, the top and bottom surfaces would have to be machined to insure the proper tolerance for flatness. A single honeycomb casting may be made of the entire size of approximately either of sheets or 12, or the castings may be made in sections so that a plurality of such castings may be combined to secure the required size. In

whichever manner they are made they are applied to sheets 10 and 12 in the manner previously described. In other words, the aluminum sheet 12 is covered with epoxy cement as aforedescribed and the honeycomb cast rings are positioned thereon and the epoxy cement allowed to dry as described, after which the open spaces 24 between the adjoining ring-like members of the casting are filled with epoxy cement and the balance of the procedure is followed as previously described. This provides an excellent construction and it has all of the characteristics of the structure previously described.

While the invention herein has been described with particular reference to its use as a billiard table top, it will be understood that a construction formed in the aforesaid manner, except for the omission of the cutout pockets and the application of a billiard covering, may be used for other purposes. For example, it may be used for panels, doors, walls, and other structural surfaces, wherever a strong, rigid and lightweight structural element is needed.

With this invention a structure such as previously described may be formed having a thickness of approximately 1 /3 inches which achieves approximately the same rigidity as a solid slate material of the same thickness, but with a weight reduction of approximately twothirds of the weight of the slate material, or, of a solid aluminum plate of the same thickness of 1% inches, but with a weight reduction of more than one-half of the weight of the solid aluminum plate and of considerably less cost than the solid aluminum plate.

What is claimed is:

1. A laminated panel comprising, a pair of spaced sheets formed of a substantially rigid material, a plurality of ring-like members positioned between said pair of spaced sheets and secured to said sheets by an adhesive material so that said sheets and ring-like members form an integral unit, the interior of the bodies of said ring-like members being unoccupied and providing voids between the spaced sheets.

2. A structure defined in claim 1 in which the ringlike members are separate members and are positioned so that the wall surfaces of adjacent ring-like members are in contact.

3. A structure defined in claim 2 in which the ringlike members are positioned adjacent each other and wherein the ring-like members are arranged in staggered relation.

4. A structure defined in claim 2 in which the ringlike members are positioned so that the walls of adjacent members are in contact and the open spaces between the walls of adjacent ring-like members are filled with an adhesive material of a depth substantially equal to the length of the ring-like members.

5. A structure defined in claim 1 in which the ringlike members have a length of approximately of an inch and are formed of aluminum in which the spaced sheets are formed of aluminum.

6. A structure defined in claim 1 in which one of the sheets is covered with a regulation billiard cloth and same is used as a billiard table top.

7. A structure defined in claim 1 in which a plurality of ring-like members are integrally cast.

8. A structure defined in claim 1 in which a plurality of ring-like members are integrally cast and in which one of the sheets is covered with a covering and the structure forms a billiard table top.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,092,521 9/1937 Norris 2736 2,744,042 5/1956 Pace 161-68 X 3,063,882 11/1962 Cheshire 161-189 F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 161-40, 43, 68 

